Miss You Already, Maggie

Good morning. I have a special card today that I started for the color challenge this week at Splitcoast Stampers (Early Espresso, So Saffron, Cherry Cobbler).  The "dessert" option was the theme back-to-school.  I no longer have little ones and very few school themed stamps, but I did remember this Stamping Bella stamp with the HUGE pencil.

Perfect for the colors and theme. As I was creating it and looking for an appropriate sentiment, I realized that my youngest daughter started graduate school for her Master's degree this fall, and isn't that back-to-school also?  She just moved last week and I admit that I already miss her.  And that is the story of this card.

Now - how I created it.  First, I made sure to color match and choose my markers.

When I do a color challenge I usually stamp several of the image I'm coloring and block in some color to make sure that I have it in the right place.  I would have hated to spend time coloring and then decided that her shirt should have been yellow instead of red - this method saves a lot of heartache.

Because Stamping Bella images are so fine and detailed, I often use Copics as my underlay and then use Prismacolors on top for the detail.  The image below is Copics alone before any pencil.

The pencil really allows me to get detail.  I learned this technique many, MANY years ago when I took some illustration classes.  At that time, when artwork was reproduced the cameras used to shoot it used a pretty intense flash.  It seemed no matter how solid your pencil work the marks could always be seen in a photograph. But if you used marker, watercolor or dye underneath it hid the white of the paper and the marks.  Today I find that technique gives a richness and depth to the card and also allows for greater detail.

I had a few choices when laying out the card.  I used my color sample to play with the size and punched detail on the top of the card.  Then I used the Scrabble tiles and some buttons.

This part of the card can take me the longest - trying to decide layout and those little extras.  It's one reason I like sketch challenges so much - the layout decision is pretty much made for you.  But there was no help here!  I had to go it alone.

For the Scrabble tiles, I finally decided on the school's initials - Loyola Marymount University.

I miss you already Maggie and I know you'll do great things!

Stamp: Stamping Bella Tiny Townie Penelope has a Pencil

Copic markers: R39, R37, R35, Y23, Y21, Y32, E49, E47, E35, E00, E000, E11, E30, E31, C0, C00, C1, C2, W00, W1

Prismacolor pencils: Warm Gray 10%, 20%, PC 997, 1012, 943, 942, 940, 1034, 140, 947, 925, 944, 947, 946

Thanks for visiting today!  Click here to sign up for email notifications of future posts  (you will be sent an email to verify your address - don't forget this step).  Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Bloglovin'.